Westfield White captured the Cal Ripken District 12 title for the 2nd year in a row with a 10-5 victory over a tough South Orange Maplewood (SOM) team. This year's championship was in the 11U, 50/70 division and the 7 team tournament consisted of Scotch Plains, Warren, South Orange Maplewood, Bayonne, Cranford and Westfield Blue.
Westfield got off to a shaky start allowing 3 unearned runs in the top of the 1st inning, but they quickly responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the 1st to make it 3-2. Eric Varakian singled and Chris Rinaldi walked and both stole bases to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Vin Difilippo's long fly ball to center allowed Varakian to tag up and score from 3rd and then Rinaldi scored on an RBI single by Nick Mele. SOM increased their lead to 4-2 in the 2nd courtesy of another unearned run and the score remained that way until the bottom of the 4th.
Westfield came to bat in their half of the 4th trailing 4-2 but put 8 runs on the board to take a 10-4 lead. Scott Tupper singled and then Eric Varakian was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced by way of stealing bases to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Chris Rinaldi singled to drive in both runners and then stole his way around to 3rd base. He scored on a towering pop-up from Difilippo which was misplayed by SOM. Mele followed with a walk and then Devin "The Animal" Anderson cleared the bases with a booming triple to right field. Anderson scored on an RBI single by Chris Boutsikaris. Tommy Summers drew a walk and Tupper followed with his 2nd single of the day and Anderson scored on the hit. Hopper Murray then connected on a fastball and sent it bouncing into the woods beyond left field for a ground rule double. Summers scored on the play and Westfield led 10-4.
SOM added a run in the top of the 5th and were threatening with additional runs, but some great defensive plays by Westfield. Tommy Summers made a spectacular diving catch in left field to rob a single. Scott Tupper, Chris Boutsikaris and Vin Difilippo then executed a text book cut off play to nail a runner attempting to tag up from 2nd on a fly ball to center. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and both runners tagging, Tupper caught the ball and threw to Boutsikaris who was the cut off man towards the plate. Boutsikaris cut the ball off and fired to Difilippo who made a great scoop and tag to record the out at 3rd.
Difilippo and Boutsikaris each threw 3 very strong innings allowing only 4 hits and just a single earned run between them.
Westfield advances to the Cal Ripken State tournament in Hillsborough later this month.
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